They fought for gay marriage. A later, advot reflect on the 'herculean feat.'

Contents:

• NEW YORK BE THE SIXTH STATE TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE
• THEY FOUGHT FOR GAY MARRIAGE. A LATER, ADVOT REFLECT ON THE 'HERCULEAN FEAT.'
• GAY RIGHTS VS. FREE SPEECHSUPREME COURT BACKS WEB DIGNER OPPOSED TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

NEW YORK BE THE SIXTH STATE TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE

Thomas Duane, a rights advot are hopg the vote will galvanize the movement around the Uned Stat and help rega momentum after an almost intil bill was feated here 2009 and siar measur failed 2010 New Jersey and this year Maryland and Rho New York is a relative lateer allowg gay marriage, is nsired an important prize for advot, given the state's size and New York Cy's ternatnal stature and s role as the birthplace of the gay rights movement, which is nsired to have started wh the Stonewall rts Greenwich Village 1969.

THEY FOUGHT FOR GAY MARRIAGE. A LATER, ADVOT REFLECT ON THE 'HERCULEAN FEAT.'

I'm so exhsted and so proud that the New York State Senate fally stood on the right si of history, " said Queens teacher Eugene Lovendky, 26, who is gay and said he hop to marry then repeated a chant he had screamed durg a prott at a fundraiser for Print Barack Obama last night: "I am somebody. ""I have never be prour to be a lifelong New Yorker than I am today wh the passage of marriage equaly, " Cyndi Lper said a effects of the law uld be felt well beyond New York: Unlike Massachetts, which pneered gay marriage 2004, New York has no rincy requirement for obtag a marriage license, meang the state uld bee a mag for gay upl across the untry who want to have a weddg Central Park, the Hamptons, the romantic Hudson Valley or that honeymoon hot spot of yore, Niagara York, the natn's third most populo state, will jo Connecticut, Iowa, Massachetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the Washgton pal district allowg same-sex upl to five months 2008, gay marriage was legal California, the biggt state populatn, and 18, 000 same-sex upl shed to tie the knot there before voters overturned the state Supreme Court lg that allowed the practice.

Changg the law would require a nstutnal nventn, a long, drawn-out stickg pot over the past few days: Republin mands for stronger legal protectns for relig groups that fear they will be h wh discrimatn lawsus if they refe to allow their facili to be ed for gay climactic vote me after more than a week of stop-and-start negotiatns, mors, closed-door meetgs and tratn on the part of advot. Onle discsns took on a nasty turn wh sults and vulgari pepperg the screens of opponents and supporters alike and secury was beefed up the pol to give senators easier passage to and om their nference night before, Print Obama enuraged lawmakers to support gay rights durg a fundraiser wh New York Cy's gay muny.

GAY RIGHTS VS. FREE SPEECHSUPREME COURT BACKS WEB DIGNER OPPOSED TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Dpe New York Cy's liberal Democratic polics and large and vol gay muny, prev efforts to legalize same-sex marriage failed over the past several years, part bee the rt of the state is more nservative than the bill's succs this time reflected the powerful support of Cuomo and perhaps a change public attus. Opn polls for the first time are showg majory support for same-sex marriage, and Congrs recently repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that barred gays om servg openly the the week leadg up to the vote New York, some Republins who opposed the bill 2009 me forward to say they were supportg for reasons of nscience and a duty to ensure civil rights. Prsure to vote for gay marriage also me om celebri, athlet and New York Cy Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Republin-turned-pennt who has long ed his own fortune to help bankroll Republin mpaigns and who personally lobbied some uncid lawmakers.